“Fucking idiot.”

The words slipped out his mouth in but a whisper as Jayce took a puff from the hookah. He then passed the pipe over to the brunette that he had purchased services with, not that he partook into that side of the business unlike the rest of his crew. While they were all scattered about in the hookah club and some were in more private arrangements, Jayce merely wanted the young woman there to keep him company. “Something wrong?”, she asked before she took a puff. Exhaling the smoke, he shook his head, “Nothing to worry yourself with. Just some family business I have to deal with.” Lo and below, he was crossed with his little brother over his actions as of late- first having chased after that crazy air pirate, especially after he was among those that warned Vincent not too do it. Furtuna was far different than most criminals and the fact that she’s been running amok for so long spoke volumes of it. Anything short of a full sky armada was doomed to fail. Even though he was ambitious and wanted the promotion to admiral, he wasn’t going to be stupid enough to waste his time chasing her. But now not only did his brother fail his mission, but he also had right out abandoned his post and now joined with that woman and her crew. He didn’t believe it up until she had the gall of sending them a lovely little letter stating how she had him and that they procreated.

Great, now his niece was a bastard and a pirate. Ever since that embarrassing news, the Gloreaver name had been tarnished and the council felt it poetic justice to send Jayce out and capture them both. In return, the family would be restored and he would get that promotion. “Just a little dispute between brothers”, he sighed, taking a swig of the whiskey. “Figured I’d treat my crew to some relaxation for a bit before we head back home and get back to business.”

“Now noble of you”, the girl smiled. “Are you sure that you won’t be needing me for anything else?”

“No, I am certain. You are a beauty, but my mind’s too wrapped up to give you the attention you deserve.” He fetched out a small pouch and handed it to her. “Keep it. A little bit extra for accompanying me for hours now.” He took her hand and kissed before downing the glass and bid her farewell. He would leave his men to their own devices while he went outside and cleared his head. He didn’t want to hunt down Vincent, but the fool bought it down on himself for aligning with Furtuna. He could only pray by some strange miracle that when he found them, he would learn that she had tricked him somehow into staying with her. The bedding part alone made him wonder as his brother wasn’t the first victim she had. No, there were colorful tales of other captains and the like that attempted to hunt her down only to be caught in some alluring trap. He still could recall the one where one captain was driven madly in lust with her up to the day he was hung. Poor bastard had a wife and child prior too.

He aimlessly wandered about until he found himself upon a shop. Seeing as to why not, he went through and saw that it was one of the trinket shops. “Good day sir, may I interest you in some ivory tusks? Golden daggers? He waved it off and continued to walk about. There was no desire to really purchase anything, and after a few minutes of looking at the random items about, Jayce was about ready to leave when he noticed a small bottle with the label saying “Moondust”. A slight chuckle slipped out as he took it and rotated it about. “What’s with this ‘moondust?’”, he inquired at the shopkeep. “Oh, that old thing? It’s supposed to have healing properties.”

He looked back at the bottle and shrugged. “Well, never hurts to have a bit around, especially if it works. How much?”

“Hmm, twenty-five pieces. It’s never been open, either.”

Jayce paid it and took his leave. It was cheap and perhaps it wouldn’t work after all, but he supposed that he was entertained by the idea, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. The shopkeep did say it had never been open, so how the hell did he even know what it did? Before he knew it, he was nearing the docks before he turned towards the beach nearby. He was curious enough that he stopped as he reached the warm sands and popped the cork off the bottle and took a deep sniff of it. It smelled unlike anything he had ever known before- it held a strong yet sweet flavor to it. Perhaps the old man wasn’t full of it- he knew of different herbs and other plants that healers would use so surely this could have been made from them or at least a component. Jayce fell back and relaxed as his mind wandered about the coming storm that awaited him in Egjora.

She was born from a wish for treasure. A cove filled to the brim with exotic silks and gold. A pirate’s wish.

Like many of her sisters before her, she served her first master well and she was beloved. Unlike her sisters though she was sealed and placed in treasure chests along the way. Her owners were passed off with time as old age took them. Their last will was to give her to the next who would be worthy and she would be their guidepost. She was Evani of the Earth.

She spent the decades sealed up in her bottled doing spring cleaning. Her pet basilisk's name was Selkie, an odd name for a huge albino basilisk. He had been a gift from one of her previous owners and he would live as long as she willed it. Laying in his coil she was reading a book on that faithful day. Her gentle elven like ears gently twitched as her purple eyes looked up at the skies of her abode. “Do you feel that Selkie?” Snapping the book shut the Abedian woman stood up and watched the skies as they shimmered. “Someone’s opened the bottle finally.” It had been thirty-odd years since her bottle fell into someone else’s hands and dared to open it.

By all accounts, it wasn’t a fancy bottle nor was it exactly threatening. There was nothing magical about a bottle of Moondust. It had been just an empty container that her mother had grabbed when Evani was born. Still, though, Evani loved her bottle and it felt at home to her. On the inside of the bottle was a quiet country Abedian home with lots of farmland and woods.

Her bottle smelled like gardenia, lily of the valley, and hyacinth together. It was laced together with an earthy scent which fit her elements. There were whispers that came from the bottle after a bit. Wild words that spread until a deep green dust poured out and grabbed Jayce dragging him into the realm of the bottle.

The green dust dropped him three feet from the ground and Evani was sitting on top of the ten-foot-tall basilisk looking at him. “Soul who has opened my bottle, state your name. Many before you have accidentally opened my confines and have been rewarded… Unfortunately, once the contract has begun there is no way to back out of it. You are bound to me and I am bound to you until the death of one of us.” Her deep purple eyes stared at him as she brushed her white hair back. “I am Evani, a djinn of wishes and for all intents and purposes you have found and taken ownership of my bottle.”

What he had expected was to find out that the bottle was full of nothing but hot air. That he had been mistaken or misled and that would be the end of that. What he wasn't expecting was hear words from out the blue. At first, he assumed that there were others close by, speaking Abedian or some other foreign language. But when he peeked around, there wasn't anyone else. In fact, the sourced seemed very close to him and until the green mist appeared, he hadn't realized that it was from the bottle itself until the last moment. He wasn't able to speak what was on his mind as he was pulled inside and found himself in a rough landing onto the ground.

"What the hell…", he snarled a bit as he sat up. He wasn't in too much of a rough state and opened his eyes in time to see a giant snake looked down at him. "WHAT THE HELL!?" He looked bewildered at both it and the person that was on top of its head. The woman spoke to him while he kept his eyes on her companion. None of this made any sense to him as he stumbled to think of the right words to say in this particular matter. "Gods, was that Pixie Dust I inhaled?" He looked around for the bottle, swearing up and down that perhaps he had partaken in that damn drug back in the hookah club and that all of this was but a hallucination brought about by that.

"Wait…so you're a djinn and I'm your master?" It took him some time to find the words, but once he had, they came out hastily. "Okay then, maybe this is real…", he muttered to himself. "Jayce Gloreaver. Wasn't aware that djinn kept pets in their containers." He wasn't sure if the part about death included if he was eaten by the basilisk or not. He hoped that wasn't the case as he stood up. "How do I know that this isn't still some trickery caused by the old man that sold me that bottle, or if I'm being afflicted by drugs or something?" He didn't know what to think at the moment- hell, he wasn't planning on the day leading him to ownership of a djinn of wishes.

"Just where am I, Evani?"

She tilted her head and slid off the basilisk after a bit. She wore traditional genie wear in blue and silver. Her ears had three silver hoops and her nose had a tiny hoop in it as well. Evani was standing at around five feet and five inches tall and her body was curvy like most of her sisters. She had appeal to her but nothing was more alluring than the eeriness of her purple eyes. “Pixie Dust is gross and you end up doing stupid shit on it like demanding to raid an Adelunian naval ship and getting your ass hung from the masts. That’s how my last master died. He inhaled pixie dust with some asshole named Dante.”

Evani put her finger to his nose and slightly pushed on it. “That’s what I said. For better or for worse.” A giant scroll appeared behind her as an equally giant quill wrote out his name across the bottom. She took his hand and pulled him up off the ground. “I’m not a drug-induced delusion,” She took a dagger and dragged it across her palm before she did his. Putting their hands together she watched as the contract caught blue flames. “The contract has been finished.”

Healing magic left her hand as she patched them both up. “This is the inside of my bottle. Every djinn that is tied to an object has a home inside of it.” She pointed to the Abedian country home. “That is my abode. These are my farmlands and my forest. This is Selkie, she is an albino basilisk from the snow lands. She is my companion and she was given to me by a past master. She will not harm you unless I tell her to but I am loyal to you now.”

She tilted her head and looked up at him. “Should I seduce you and rid you of your clothes to prove to you this is real? Would sleeping with a djinn be a good way to prove it? Or perhaps?” She stepped in close. “I should tell you where what you seek most is… A brother is on your mind.”

Jayce was still coming to terms with this whole situation; rationally, he couldn't believe any of this being real. The concept of him being transported into another place, much less the bottle he had just bought and was in some sort of wacky land with a djinn greeting him with her pet that looked like it was hungry. "Not familiar with the drug personally other than its highly illegal." Gods, he hoped that he wasn't hallucinating and was found by someone watching him behave like a fool, talking to himself, and whatnot. It would have been even worse had it been one of his crewmen that witnessed it.  He held onto his forehead and pondered what he could do when he felt her touch against his nose. It clicked merely moments later that Evani's words were true- this was all real. He merely stared at her, confusion still high on his mind even as she helped him up to his feet. His olive eyes went to the scroll and now boasted his name- this contract of sorts he assumed. 

Though he didn't get too much time to think about it as the pain registered soon into his mind and found that she had cut him. "The hell?" He was starting to find her a little crude in her manners and actions, not that it seemed to be a bother to her. Their hands joined and the contract was set ablaze. 

Fortunately, the pain lasted for a little while before his newly acquired djinn healed the wound and he paced around her. Jayce wasn't completely alright with this, but everything was settled now. It was too late to go back unless one of them died. "Quaint. I've heard some tells here and there, and I didn't think you lot got spacious quarters when it came to be being bottled up", he spoke as he glanced at her home. To be fair, he didn't think the wishing sort were anything but tall tales, but lo and behold one stood before him. Perhaps he would test out whether she could grant such things or if it was a ruse. 

The one thing that stopped his train of thought was her bold statement which made him shoot her a look. "As tempting as that sounds, this isn't a joking matter." He was going to tell her off and demand him to be returned back to the world outside when she stopped him again. Though this time it held his interest quite a bit. "And just how would you know who I might be looking for?" Jayce chewed at his lip, questioning whether he could really trust her or not. He couldn't see a reason why she would lie, seeing how they were bonded now and getting on a rocky foot like that was surely no way for them to co-exist. 

"If you know where he is, then enlighten me, Evani. It quite dire that I know of his location." Still, he hadn't made up what he would actually do if he knew where Vincent resided. Catching that so-called "Pirate Queen" was an easy answer, but for him? He knew that he would have to hunt him down and bring him back home, though he didn't take pleasure in the punishments that were sure to follow.

“Very illegal. My last master was a pirate lord, the youngest of his kind on the seas of Revaliir. I was his guidepost.”

Once she had cut him and he had raised a fuss she turned her purple eyes up to him. “We are one after all. Mingling one’s blood is a common way to seal a contract and become one… Though it is much more symbolic.” Her voice was steady and rather stoic as she pondered. “My first master did it before we boarded his ship. He said that I was not to be referred to as owned or a slave. That the bonding of our blood symbolized our partnership. I would hope that you would have the same ideology as him.”

There was a curious look from her as she pondered on it. “I suppose those bound to items by people who don’t care would give them small room and board… but our mother cared. We were dreams and wishes that became a reality thanks to her magic. She wanted to give us the freedom to dream as real people instead of objects. Even if we are nothing more than stardust.”

She shrugged a bit and sighed a bit as he cocked an attitude with her. “We’re one and I am your guidepost. I can vaguely feel your innermost wants. Your brother comes to the forefront.” She explained while moving her hands. Selkie was curled up nearby now as she took an extended nap. It appeared the basilisk had been kept up thanks to being her seat.

“He’s on route in the skies. Going across the skies to the vast Canelux mainland. I can’t tell for sure since he’s not on the earth but I know he’s headed in that direction. The north of Canelux is my guess from the taste of the air around them.” She held her hands behind her back as she looked up at Jayce now.

“You are highly conflicted about it. You want to do what you’ve been told to but he is also your brother. Fame and glory await you should you do it but at what cost?” Evani’s eyes settled for his. “This will not be as easy as many may think, a difficult journey lies ahead.” Finally, she tore her eyes away and looked up at the sky. “I haven’t seen real sunlight in decades… I wonder how long I was sitting on that merchant’s shelf.”

Evani shrugged a bit and opened a portal nearby. “We can leave this place and venture Abed. It’s been some time since I have seen my motherland. I haven’t been there in a thousand years. I could use some real food… That does sound nice.”

Evani began to head for the portal before she stopped. “Fiona.” Her eyes met his once more. “Your niece’s name is Fiona. It’s screaming from your brother’s mind so loudly it’s why I can’t focus on him clearly. His next biggest worry is that Furtuna takes her medication. It seems she is out and they need to get more."

"Well, ain't that funny. Your latest one is a Captain of Egjora, so you don't have to worry about me getting mixed up with illegal and dangerous things."

He wasn't too thrilled with getting his palm sliced open but he understood the meaning behind it. He looked down at his hand as he took Evani's words. For better or worse, they were going to have to walk jointly on this road, Perhaps this could suit him just finely. "I suppose so. Whatever this arrangement is between us, I hadn't planned for it nor do I derive any pleasure from barking orders at you. As long as you don't betray me or feed me to your pet there, I'll honor my side of things."

He supposed that in the grand scheme of things, even beings like her had to have come from somewhere. In this case, she referred to her creator as "mother", who sounded like she had plenty of power herself at her fingertips. "Sure you don't mean moondust?", he spoke dryly before waving it off. What really stroke his attention was when she spoke more of his brother and his location. "The hell he's doing in Canelux of all places…" He ceased walking about; Jayce couldn't fathom why he would be sailing for the land where he was wanted. If anything, he would fare no better than a rabbit going for the carrot underneath a clearly set up trap. He had at least hoped that his young brother would have better sense, but considering the situation Vincent was in, that hope should have been dashed. 

"Never said it would be easy. He's a traitor to our home and tarnished our family name. He should have never gone after that woman in the first place" Jayce fell silent for a short while before turning back to her, "I have little choice in the matter. If I don't go retrieve him and his insane leader, then the council will move forward and see heaven and hell torn apart to snuff them out." Could he though? Could he go through with imprisoning them and sending them to the gallows? He couldn't care about Furtuna too much, but his own flesh and blood? Even if the name was restored, his family would likely shun him and deem him kinslayer. Perhaps it was a sacrifice he was willing to make for them. The title and prestige he was promised could be pissed away as far as he was concerned.

"Probably so. Right now, before I was sucked in, it was nearing the afternoon hours." Gods, he felt as though he could use a drink at the moment. Thankfully Evani made a portal and he sighed out of relief. "Thousand years?", he stumbled out. She certainly didn't look her age then and he swiftly recovered himself, "Fine then. We can go walking in the streets. Can't say for sure how long it's been since your last walk in Revaliir." He started to follow her towards the portal and then froze a bit after she did. He looked at her when she spoke a name, and when she made it apparent to who it belonged to, Jayce tensed up. It was better for him not to know who the child was since he would have to deal with her parents. It was better not to have a face painted for him so that he could pretend that he wouldn't know the pain he would inflict on it. "Almost forgot that he had a kid", he spoke with a sharp exhale that trailed behind. "Well, it will be a while before they reach their destination. Let's go." Jayce took the lead this time and slipped through the portal, finding himself met with the sandy beach and warm sun once more. It didn't seem like time really passed by all that much and sure enough, Evani was there, eliminating any lingering thoughts that this was all a dream. 

"Well then, what you want to eat?"

Evani held a blank look on her face for a moment before she showed any sign of emotion. “I should be clear in this – As long as it is reasonable and you wish it of me I have to do it. I’m merely asking for my chains to be loose. We are birthed into servitude with the utmost love and gifted to individuals who will value us but those who we get passed down to aren’t always as normal. Some of my sisters have died, some of them cursed, and some of them have been corrupted so far they have to be destroyed and returned to the magic that we are born from.”

There was a snort from her when he corrected her to moondust. “You do have jokes.”

The focus on Vincent made her shrug. She would voice her thoughts on the matter later but for now, the sunlight did sound good. “Aye, I’m coming up on my three thousandth birthday on the first harvest moon this year.” It seemed like her information startled him and she thought that it might have been a good thing. Evani crossed over into the sands and felt the crisp ocean breeze against her. “This air is less stale… I wish I could replicate it.” She mused a bit. “But that would be Jala’s forte.”

She put a finger to her chin and thought about it. “Curry. Lots of curry. I love curry.” That was the first time she had shown actual real emotion. Food was one of her favorite past times.

As they walked to the markets for the fresh curry Evani decided now was the time to lay into Jayce. “Did you ever stop to wonder that the strings of fate took him for a reason? That is is meant to be with that trouble maker.” Her eyes wandered up to his as her hand took his. “Just like you found me. There is a reason for everything. Maybe he is her guidepost. Right and wrong are shades of gray. I’ve been in service to pirates and to heroes. I’ve seen many sides. It is alright to be conflicted about it because the more you lie about it… The more you will have regrets later after you commit the act. It’s my job to make sure you don’t doubt yourself.”

Her hand left his as she found a curry stand she deemed good enough. Getting some she waited for Jayce to pay before handing him a bowl. “Here.”

They ate in the streets and near the end of her meal that she silently enjoyed she paused. There was a slight look of concern. “Maata” her eyes got big as she bowed to a hooded figure. A young hand reached out though she remained cloaked and swiftly took Evani’s long hair out of its bun so it fell down her back.

“Jaladhija has been restored and so have you. Thank the fallen that you both are alright. I would trust that your new wisher takes good care of you.” The voice was whimsical.

“Where is Jala?” Evani’s eyes narrowed. “I thought she had been cursed.”

“The curse appears to have been lifted and as to where your sister is… Who knows. Not here in Abed. Not anymore.” Evani appeared sad as the woman spoke and just as she had come… The woman left.

“She showed up… Just to let me know Jala is fine.” She looked at Jayce. “Jala was made before me. Each of us are crafted from a wish… For Jala it was love. She was passed down his family with extreme love until two thousand years ago when one of the ancestors of the first beat her and mishandled her. He thought she was cheating on him with his son even though Jala did not feel for him or his son like that. His son was like her son and she had raised him. He did terrible things to her and I had begged my master to end him but~ he told me that it wasn’t his place to get involved. So many of my sisters meet fates like that. But Jala… Jala was always so happy. Troublesome but happy. Her bottle disappeared and I felt the son’s life force disappear too. She’s been gone, asleep, for the last two thousand years… I do hope whoever found her… takes care of her. We are objects in the end. A means to an end. We do not decide our fate.”

Jayce slowly nodded, "Very well. You aren't a slave, not as long as you are bonded to me." He damn sure had no intention of harming or corrupting her, what the devil the latter meant. She wouldn't have to worry about anything going down from his end and deep down he knew that she wouldn't do it to him either. Now, that sharp tongue and sassy mouth of hers was quite a different story. "Well, tit for tat really. I simply give you what you give me back."

They returned to the outside world; for Jayce, it hadn't been very long while Evani hadn't seen it for at least years. "Suppose even with that great magic, it still pales to the real thing." As fancy as that bottle was, he couldn't fathom choosing that over living in the realm as they were. "Jala…a friend of yours?" 

He was taken back a little as Evani seemed to have gotten excited when she told him what she wanted to eat. He accepted with a nod and lead the way from the beach and back into the city. It was odd to walk through the crowded streets again after the experience he went through. While they searched about for a place that served the desired curry, Jayce ended up looking back to Evani as she pried further into the issue that held onto his mind as of late. "Is this what is to be expected? You gonna pry and put your input into such matters of mine?" 

Jayce shook his head hastily, "Never gave it thought. Furtuna lurking weak men into her web ain't anything new. She's had plenty of practice in doing so. I told him not to do chase after her, yet she was able to sink her teeth into him. He was a firm believer in right and wrong, preferring the former. Yet you think that fate made it so that he became hers?"

He rose an eyebrow as his olive eyes latched onto their hands which were now interlaced. He didn't fight her though as she continued on. "A guidepost? You seem to love that term. I don't know whether she's using him or not. What I do know is that someone's going to go after them. If not me, then it will be others and they won't hesitate to do whatever necessary to capture them…dead or alive." He wouldn't admit that he was conflicted right now, not that he had to. She seemed to know with this damn connection of theirs. But since she could read into him through that, would it be possible for him to do the same with her?

"I'll take it into consideration though, Ms. Guidepost", he offered just as they reached the curry stand and after paying for their meal, he took his own bowl. It was odd for him to eat on the streets like the commoners that ran about here but he didn't complain about it as he feasted on the spicy but delicious meal. Things went smoothly for a bit until Evani caught his attention and then it turned to someone that she obviously knew about. He continued to eat while watching this mysterious figure and once more, Jala was mentioned. Once the woman took her to leave, he had finished up his bowl and settled it down. 

"I see why you contemplated such things earlier. But as I said before, you aren't a slave. And I certainly don't see you as property either. You and your lot are just as real as me and my kin as far as I'm concerned. Fate, if it does exist, is fickle and no one gets to decide it then. Maybe you were right about Vincent and Furtuna and us as well- that we are just pawns to its course. Your sister's probably doing alright and found someone that will take good care of her. " 

“Aye, even the gods like the real thing outside their realms,” Evani smiled up at him. “Jala is… she would be my elder sister time-wise. She was created thirty-six days before me.”

Evani wasn’t surprised by his answer and she nodded. “What you will do from here on out won’t just affect your life anymore but mine too. Anything I do also affects yours. We have entered a pact Jayce… It’s important to remember this when making decisions. If your mind is damaged it can also damage me as well.”

There were several thoughts that crossed her mind. “I belonged to an Adelunian captain in their naval unit many decades ago. I know more about both sides than most. It could be he heard a tale or two and made a decision that best suited him. You won’t know until you ask him Jayce.”

She nodded firmly. “Good.” Her mother scared her a bit and she sighed after the woman left. “I do hope so Jayce… We came into this world unnaturally yet we are subjected to all of this just like you natural born are.”

Evani finished her curry up and got their dishes to give back to the vendor. “We should go. The chimes are about to start in the city and I do believe you have a crew and a ship you need to meet up with.” Her purple eyes watched him and she smiled. “How will you explain all of this to them without them thinking you’ve gone mad?” She chuckled as she plucked a flower from a vendor and tossed a coin she had on her. “I suppose we will just have to find out… huh?”

Once they made it back to his ship they waited for his crew to all arrive. It took several hours for them all to trickle in from their adventures but she was fine waiting. The flower which was as purple as her eyes was now tucked in her braided hair. The men asked about her but Jayce had held off on answering until they were ready.

Once she was introduced she jumped down off where she was and waved. “They call me Evani of the Tenth Garden. Evani for short. The Tenth Garden refers to the power reservoir my mother used when she made me. The closer to number one you are the more powerful you are.”

“Well, you are really pretty… I wouldn’t mind if you~” The man had been told to be careful with Evani as he put his hand on her shoulder. She was giving him that innocent look. “I don’t know Captain… She looks innocent.”

It wasn’t too long after that she kicked him into the wall and threw her hair over her shoulder. “There are fifty-two gardens that mother cultivates her power in.” She was a very strong djinn.